Yamaha Yamaha 2003

Model Yamaha made in 2003 by Yamaha got 32 consumer complains as well as 2 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to electrical system and engine and engine cooling. Technical service bulletines regarding engine and engine cooling and equipment.

Model 2003

Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
200300201/30/200310001466Engine hesitation or lack of engine power. *tt05/07/2003
EQUIPMENT
M200201708/09/2002638089Subject regarding luggage lock assemblies supplied with assembly parts. 2003 fjr1300r/rc models. *tt12/10/2002

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY
08/29/20039700103/15/2001
 I'm an owner of a yamaha yzf-r6 sportsbike. the battery started leaking the night of the 28th of august 2003. on the morning of the 29th the rear shock resevoir, rear swingarm and chain had noticable amounts of acid on them. *ak since i was out of town at the time i needed to get this issue solved immediatly so i went to the local dealer where i was (which is named ray wilt motorcycle - atv superstore in hanover, pa) to have a new battery put in, which i was charged in full for. i contacted my local dealer (which is action yamaha in metuchen, nj) to see about having this issue taken care of. i was told that my bike was out of warrenty and that this battery leak was caused due to user error since i left the battery in for an extended period of time. no where in the user manual does it state that the battery needs to be removed from the bike over the winter months. i then contacted the yamaha customer relations corporate office and was told that since i no longer have the original battery there is no proof of any defective part and my bike is out of warrenty anyway so there is nothing they can do for me.
08/16/20031650108/26/2002
 The battery on my 2002 yamaha yzfr6 has leaked battery acid on several parts of the motorcycle. motorcycle has only 1700 miles on it. the acid has damaged many parts including but not limited to; swingarm, shock, chain, shift rod. bike is under warranty until 8/26/2003. dealer is being contacted but has not responded thus far. this problem has occured on hundreds of r6 motorcycles.*ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION
10/28/200314414103/14/2003
 2003 yamaha yzf-r6c. ignition coil failure. felt a loss of power and lack in throttle response while riding the vehicle on september 28, 2003, 12,755 miles on the odometer. leave motorcycle at pacific yamaha on october 2, 2003 - they return the motorcycle after testing saying it is operating normally. october 28, 2003 - one of the four cylinders fails to ignite. october 31, 2003, odometer reads 14,414 miles, la yamaha/aprilia replaces an ignition coil and returns the motorcycle to me. ignition coil replaced with stock denso brand coil.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY
01/06/2002875009/07/2002
 I own a 2003 yamaha 1100 v-star (xvs1100a) motorcycle. currently this bike has less than 875 miles on the odometer. i purchased it in early sep 02, in mid-nov 02, i winterized and stored it. yamaha denies any knowledge of a history of this problem. recently i have been reading many owner's horror stories of twisted starter bolts. here is the link to the information on this subject: http://people.delphiforums.com/dadbenny during visual inspection tonight (6 jan 03) my motorcycle displays the early onset of the twisted starter bolt problem. it's slight at this time, but definitely noticeable. (the incident date listed below would not allow me to enter 2003 for the year, the nearest year it would accept was 2002) through most of the 1990s up to the present, hundreds if not thousands of these yamaha xvs1100s have experienced this problem with the starter system. again, here is a link to literally hundreds of cases: http://forums.delphiforums.com/star_riders/messages?msg=35260.159 the problem begins with the exterior bolts twisting and culminates in a total interior failure of the starter. once outside of the limited 12-month warranty, yamaha refuses to provide repairs at no cost to the consumer, despite this obviously defective part. average cost to repair this problem is $1500 per occurance. even in cases where the problem was first reported and repaired during the factory warranty period, yamaha motor corporation has refused to provide repair for additional like failures after the warranty expiration. the design on this part is obviously defective. yamaha motor corporation should be held liable for faulty equipment design, manufacture, and more than anything, continued use. yamaha should be forced to re-design the starter system as well as provide free replacement to all owners who are experiencing this problem.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
03/09/2003134101/15/2003
 I sustained injuries when my yamaha grizzly 660 yfm660fr atv stalled and vapor locked on a hill. it rolled on top of me causing bruised ribs and bruised internal organs.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
03/19/200370906/26/2002
 I have purchased a 2002 yamaha grizzly,and i have a problem with the gas boiling. i have been on a web site atv nation and it seems that a lot of people like me are having the same problem. it cuts out, vapor locks and the gas is actually boiling in the gas tank. to me this is a very big problem and needs some attention as soon as possible. *nlm
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
02/15/2003901008/23/2003
 2003 yamaha grizzly 660. when heats up, gas boils inside of tank and condensates out of gas cap overflow tube causing gas fume smell. when running, unit will sputter and sometimes stall when going up inclines, causing unit to be unsafe.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
06/04/2010680
 I have a yamaha kodiak 400. the gas in the tank boils when idling and slow driving. this has been occurring about 2 -3 times per week. the muffler is directly beside the gas tank and creates far to much heat because of lack of ventilation. this is a lawsuit waiting to happen!
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TURN SIGNAL
500309/13/2003
 The motorcycle wasn't repaired due to lack of parts to perform recall. *ph there was a leaking push rod, squeaking in the front brakes and the turn signal would cut off intermittently. the dealer determined that the factory added too much lubrication. the problem still exists. *sc
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
09/17/2003160108/15/2002
 2003 yamaha grizzly 660 gas will boil in gas tank when engine is hot. causes motor to sputter and stall when being throttled. gas can be smelled and found it vaporizing out of the gas cap overflow tube. *la
03/16/200390312/22/2002
 2003 yamaha grizzly 660 le after riding for about 3 hours i started up an incline to go home. halfway up the atv sputtered, lost power and rolled backwards back down the hill. luckily it wasn't extremely long or steep so i was able to control the atv while back down. it appeared i had the vapor lock issue numerours others had. i inspected vent lines for clogs and found none. i tried again after about 15 minutes and again had to back down. i waited for another 30 minutes to give it time to cool and tried a third time. i made it almost to the top this time and it sputtered and quit. this portion of the incline was not as steep and i was able to stop the atv and use my winch to get to the top. it sputterd the rest of the way home and when i got there i could hear a boiling sound in the fuel tank. when i removed the cap there was some pressure in the tank and i could see bubbles coming up from the left side. i took the grizzly to my local dealer the next week. they had other with the same complaint. they installed a heat kit that consists of (to my knowledge) ventilated side panels, a heat shield under the fuel tank and fuel lines wrapped in shielding. in my opinion these fixes do not directly address the problem and though they seem to help i'm unsure as to whether the problem is completely solved. my personal opinion is that the exhaust header is too close to the carburetor, requiring either a coated header to minimize heat radiated directly to the carb bowl or a rerouted pipe.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - CARBURETOR SYSTEM
04/22/20031002002/08/2003
 I have a 2003 yamaha grizzly 660. it has a problem with the fuel boiling in the carburetor. once it warms up it stalls especially when going uphill, which could easily cause it to roll over. i took it to the dealer, and they told me that yamaha would not cover it on the six month warranty( i've only had it two months). *nlm
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY
02/04/2003111/16/2002
 Boiling gas in tanks and vapor lock has occureds on several occasions. *nlm
10/08/2002
 Consumer states that while driving at any speed and no warning there is fuel leaking out of the instrument panel leaking onto the consumer legs. dealer notified. mr
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
09/01/20031001007/23/2003
 I purchased a 2003 yamaha grizzly atv 9 mos ago and received a letter from yamaha motor corp 6 weeks ago informing me that they have a over heating problem which causes the fuel in the fuel tank to vaporize and boil out of the overflow tube onto the ground, causing the bike to stall, when the bike is driven slowly because there is not enough airflow over the fuel tank. they say they are manufacturing some kits to remedy the problem but they must make 3000 kits for texas alone and as of now they've only produced 300. when i contacted them they told me they have no idea how long it would be before i would receive a kit but that they do not consider it to be enough a problem to execute a recall, they explained to me that i should just drive fast. just so happens i bought the bike to ride in the forests, and on my land and riding fast would be suicidal, but i guess they're not concerned about that anyway since they're manufacturing bikes with the fuel actually boiling in the tank as you drive, spilling out onto the ground and then have the audacity to notify us and tell us to be aware. *ak
03/19/200370906/26/2002
 I have purchased a 2002 yamaha grizzly,and i have a problem with the gas boiling. i have been on a web site atv nation and it seems that a lot of people like me are having the same problem. it cuts out, vapor locks and the gas is actually boiling in the gas tank. to me this is a very big problem and needs some attention as soon as possible. *nlm
OTHER
06/26/200327400108/17/2003
 Fork lowers on front on motorcycle have broken off mounting bracket and have been flung off motorcycle while riding.this is a good size piece of metal and plastic which could cause a serious injury or damabge to other vehicles traveling around the motorcycle. the dealer has replaced two sets under warranty. while on a trip this past week i lost a third set, and suspect they will be replaced as well. my only problem with this is yamaha states that they have no other complaints of this happening on this model motorcycle. the bracket that attaches the plastic fork lowers is stamped sheet metal and very weak by design for the task it needs to accomplish.*ak
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
02/17/20041
 Consumer received a recall notice concerning transmission failure. no parts were available. ramsey waite yamaha, 4258 fanklin blvd, eugene, or 97403, 541 726 7625. service manager, john. *ak
POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DRIVESHAFT
01/15/2004012/05/2003
 My complaint is the lack of notification of maintenance and lubrication of the drive shaft coupler it can cause it to seize resulting in injury or death. the manufacture does not identify this part for maintenance in the owners, shop or maintenance manuals concerning our model: xvs 650. *cb
01/15/2004107/08/2004
 My complaint is the lack of notification for the maintenance and lubrication of the drive shaft coupler which can seize if not properly and regularly lubricated potentially resulting in injury or death. the manufacturer does not identify this part for maintenance in the owners, shop or maintenance manuals concerning our model: xvs 650. *cb
01/13/2004
 Lack of notification of maintenance and lubrication of the drive shaft coupler can cause it to seize resulting in injury or death. i also add that the manufacture does not identify this part for maintenance in the owners, shop or maintenance manuals concerning our model: xvs 650.
POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION
03/01/200540001
 1. the motorcycle, since shortly after i purchased it new, had a quirky clutch that would sometimes engage and disengage unpredictably. it was adjusted at initial 600 mile service and was told by the dealer that this was normal behavior for the clutch. 2. the clutch would be mostly engaged when the engine was cold and in gear. allowing the engine to warm with the transmission in neutral alleviated this. twice the clutch failed to disengage. the first resulted in a skid and the second resulted in a crash. 3. an unidentified part was found in the clutch basket of the motorcycle. it was steel, approximately 0.5 in diameter, rounded, and with a lip at the edge. this part was not shown on any exploded diagrams, so it was removed. the clutch plates show signs of warpage, and need to be replaced. the clutch basket shows signs of damage, and needs to be replaced. parts damaged in the crash need to be replaced. *tr
07/01/20041
 Parts were not available to perform recall repairs.*mr the consumer wanted another bike or his money back. *jb
01/09/2004
 A recall notice was received by consumer almost 1 month after it was released. the consumer had taken the motorcycle to dealership, but the part for recall repair was not available. *la the recall is in re: certain transmission components may not meet yamaha quality control standards resulting in abnormal wear that could eventually lead to broken retaining circlip. yamaha warrior. *sc
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
07/23/2003631105/05/2003
 My new 2003 yamaha road star warrior motorcycle exerienced a catastrophic brake system failure on 7/23/03. the motorcycle had approximately 630 miles on it at the time of the failure (current odometer is 632), and was purchased new from motoprimo motorsports, minneapolis at the beginning of may.*ak the motorcycle experienced damage to the right (rear brake) footrest assembly, and was replaced with a stock part. the brake assembly caused minute friction to be applied to the rear brake rotor, superheating it. the break line exploded, spraying brake fluid onto the white-hot rotor. this ignited the brake fluid, causing a sizeable fire. there was no rider on the bike at the time, but if this had happened while riding, this problem would have caused a complete failure of the rear braking system, potentially resulting in an accident.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
500309/13/2003
 The motorcycle wasn't repaired due to lack of parts to perform recall. *ph there was a leaking push rod, squeaking in the front brakes and the turn signal would cut off intermittently. the dealer determined that the factory added too much lubrication. the problem still exists. *sc
STEERING - LINKAGES - ROD - RELAY - CONNECTING
500309/13/2003
 The motorcycle wasn't repaired due to lack of parts to perform recall. *ph there was a leaking push rod, squeaking in the front brakes and the turn signal would cut off intermittently. the dealer determined that the factory added too much lubrication. the problem still exists. *sc
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
74001
 Steering wheel handle bar rusted through and broke off while driving. model name yzf600.*ak
SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR
02/26/2003112/27/2003
 To who this may concern, about 2 months ago i purchase a brand new 2003 yamaha r1 and recently found that when the vehicle is ridden over 75 mph the bike goes into a headshake, which can lead into a violent wobble and the rider can be ejected visiously off the bike which is an huge safety concern. after talking to various yamaha dealers, their response was very suprising. they were quite aware of this issue on the 2003 r1 and some stated that such problem can be corrected with a $300 steering dampener/ stabilizer purchased and installed. then one yamaha rep states that said problem was corrected on the 2004 r1 model while the others suggested yamaha should send out a recall on the 03's to get a stablizer installed. when susuki (the bike i was looking at first gsxr1000r) i found out they had the same problem, a dampner was installed on their models fast, no questions asked. i feel i should not have to spend over $10,000.00 and have to turn around and spend another $300 on an accessory to insure comsumer saftey. can someone please help me with this? my numer is 678-480-7992 thank you .*ak
TIRES - TREAD/BELT
07/26/20042
 Coming home from a trip towing our travel trailer. the trailer which we bought new was about a year old and had the original four tires on it. the tires were carlisle st205/75r15 models. they were only as old as the trailer and had only about 2500 or so miles on them. they had plenty of tread like new and had no bulges on them. they were inflated at the proper 50psi cold as per the trailer manufacturer. two of the four tires blew out on our way home in separate incidences on july 26 and 28th during the same trip. the first blowout occurred on i-5 south of mt. shasta. the second occurred on i-40 east of barstow cal. the second blowout caused damage to the underneath of our trailer and to the electrical system of the trailer. i bought new tires on the trip so we could get home.i did not buy carlisle tires. the trailer is now at the dealer we bought it from having the damage evaluated. i will get a call from the dealer after they examine the trailer. they told me they will give me information on contacting the tire company regarding reimbursement for the four tires i had to buy to get home and the trailer manufacturer probably will cover repairs to my trailer. however, the dealer has not got back with me yet. they only picked up the trailer today. i returned the blown tires and the other two possibly defective tires to the dealer with the trailer as per their instructions. my trailer is a hilo travel trailer and that manufacturer is not in your list of manufacturers at the end of the form so i had to pick a company randomly from your list in order to submit this complaint. again my trailer is manufactured by hilo and not the company i picked from your list. *ak
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - LINKAGES
08/21/20041727307/12/2003
 Motorcycle died when accelerating in first and third gears. consumer contacted the dealer, and was told there was nothing they could do. this problem occurred when vehicle was slowing down to a stop. *ak the vehicle dies in deceleration from 3rd to 2nd to 1rst gear. clutch switch bad part number 3yx-82917-01-00. the consumer stated that the selling dealer is not the servicing dealer.
WHEELS - LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS
10/21/20035029105/09/2003
 Rear wheel of my yzf r6 yamaha motorcycle came apart on acceleration. *la

Car dealers selling


StateCityZipNamePhone
CACOVINA91722BERTS MEGA MALL
CAMARINA DEL REY90292LA YAMAHA310 306 7906
CASACREMENTOPCP YAMAHA
GACANTONYAMAHA OF CANTON770-479-3340
GACANTONYAMAHA OF CANTON, GA770--479-3340
INWASHINGTON47501HOEFLING LAWN & CYCLE SALES8003059852
LACARROLTON40045YAMAHA(502)732-8383
MASPRINGFIELD01109BAERS CYCLE SALES413-783-2520
MNMINNEAPOLIS55406MOTOPRIMO MOTORSPORTS612-729-7200
MOOSAGE BEACH65065SURDYKE YAMAHA573-348-9283
NEOMAHA68106POWERSPORTSPRO4025563333
NJMETUCHEN08840ACTION YAMAHA732-494-5555
TXHIGHLANDS77562TEJAS MOTORSPORTS281 843 8591
VAALEXANDRIA22306CYCLE SPORT703-780-1245